Four Surprising Benefits of Virtual Physical Therapy

Virtual physical therapy’s popularity increased due to COVID-19, as did other telemedicine activities. The telemedicine industry was ready for a serious jumping off point, and the pandemic acted as the catalyst. But for some, doubts remain about the success of virtual, or telehealth, physical therapy. As well as noted benefits like easier scheduling, there are a number of surprising benefits to virtual physical therapy. 

Not only can virtual PT be convenient, it’s also practical and highly effective. Let’s take a look at a few benefits that might surprise you.

Virtual physical therapy makes patients comfortable

“Virtual PT allows patients to receive treatment in settings that they are comfortable in. If a patient has a hard time climbing the stairs in their home,  the best way to practice those activities is to use those exact obstacles,” says Dan, DPT, OCS, and ART licensed physical therapist. Dan makes a great point; if patients are hindered by certain daily activities such as climbing up stairs or getting up from a seated position, there’s no better place to practice those movements than in the places a patient regularly encounters them.

Virtual physical therapy is effective during the pandemic

“I like to think of myself as PT with range. Virtual PT is now an integral part of providing our services. We can be effective in ways that would be otherwise impossible during these times,” says Paramjit, an MPT and OCS licensed physical therapist.  PJ highlights one of the best advantages of virtual PT: safety. A patient can safely perform their exercises from the comfort of their own home. 

Virtual physical therapy is versatile 

Anna, an Agile Virtual PT physical therapist, sees a lot of value in virtual PT: “I love the idea of virtual physical therapy because it offers PT to patients restricted to their home and allows us to provide a treatment plan that caters to their home environment.” 

Virtual physical therapy reduces stress and improves health

It’s always important to stay physically active, and the bonus of performing physical therapy exercises is that you’re not only contributing to your recovery, you’re aiding in your daily exercise goal. And if you’re in the need for new ideas of how to exercise properly and safely from home, reach out to an Agile Virtual PT therapist! They are there to help.